Determination of americium and plutonium isotopes out of spent nuclear fuel solution using electrodeposition technique

One of the techniques used for destructive characterization of spent nuclear fuel is alpha spectrometry. Alpha emitters such as uranium, plutonium, americium can be measured only by destructive methods. For this purpose, in our laboratory was developed and implemented a radiochemical procedure for the determination of americium and plutonium in high active samples using alpha spectrometry measurements. The key stages of the process include spent nuclear fuel dissolution and dilution of the concentrate solution, radiochemical processing of the sample using extraction chromatography, alpha sources preparation using electrodeposition technique and alpha spectrometry measurements. Following chemical separation from the sample matrix, the analytes must be prepared as a thin, flat and uniform source and electrodeposition technique is suitable to meet these requirements.